- 3657 - SCIENCE - what’s happened the last 70 years? For the past century, there have been countless of developments and advancements in the world. Scientists and researchers have continued to discover new things and expand our understanding and knowledge of the natural phenomena happening around us.
--------------------- 3657 - SCIENCE - what’s happened the last 70 years?
- In the 21st century, here are some of these scientific breakthroughs:
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- Detection of Gravitational Waves
Scientists considered this as the greatest discovery of the 21st century. Let us go back to the time when Albert Einstein first predicted in his theory of relativity that time travel will be possible. Now, it has been proven by the recent findings. The LIGO project based in the United States has detected gravitational waves that could allow scientists to develop a time machine and travel to the earliest and darkest parts of the universe. This was the first time that the witnessed the “ripples in the fabric of space-time.”
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- Evidence of Water on Mars
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration confirmed last September 2015 that there is evidence proving the existence of liquid water in Mars. Using the imaging spectrometer of NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), scientists detected hydrated salts in different locations on Mars. During the warm season, the hydrated salts darken and flow down steep. However, they fade in cooler seasons. The detection of hydrated salts means that water plays a vital role in their formation.
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- Robotic Body Parts
Scientists are studying on the viability of making these robotic body parts or exoskeletons controlled by the mind to help disabled individuals, survivors of stroke and elderly people.
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- T. Rex Tissue
Paleontologists have discovered a partially fossilized and decomposing femur of a Tyrannosaurus rex which was believed to be 70 million years old already, or a date closer to the biblical date of creation. This soft tissue discovered is preserved because of the iron between the leg bones. The T.Rex tissue is very essential in determining the physiology of dinosaurs and to study its cellular and molecular structures. They have found out that dinosaurs are closely related to big birds, like the ostrich.
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- Advancement in HIV Cure
According to HIV.gov, there are over 36.7 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS, in which 1.8 million of it is children. HIV/AIDS remain to be one of the deadliest diseases in the world. On the other hand, HIV treatment has been available in Germany for more than two decades already. Antiretroviral therapy allows HIV/AIDS patients to live longer. However, no definite cure is still discovered. In 2007 the first to successfully cure an HIV/AIDS by transplanting bone marrow from an HIV-immune patient.
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- Existence of Dark Matter
In 2006, a team of researchers has found an evidence that proves the existence of dark matter. They inferred the presence of dark matter by measuring the bullet clusters or the location of mass in the collision of galaxies. The dark matter can be proven by the bulk of visible matter in the clusters that have been disconnected to the rest of the mass. According to NASA, it is still a complete mystery. What they can prove for now is that 68% of the universe is composed of dark energy.
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- Sequencing Genome of Cancer Patient
In 2003, scientists completed the sequencing of the human genome or genetic blueprint that points out the mutations leading to cancer. It took three years for them to finish drafting the three billion letters that compose the human DNA. The Human Genome Project helped scientists in treating a deadly type of skin cancer and understanding the genes involved in leukemia, eczema, and diabetes. Now, cancer genome sequencing is integrated into medical care facilities. It characterizes and identifies DNA or RNA sequences of cancer cells.
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- Creation of Human Organs
The Stem Cell research has paved the way to greater access to organs, instead of waiting for donors or taking harsh medications. Scientists have discovered how to regenerate the function of human heart tissue through adult skin cells. Through stem cells, humans can grow another organ. This is associated with the regenerative nature of living organisms. Recently, various research all around the world enables growing fallopian tubes, heart, brain, lung, and kidney, among others through stem cells.
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- Water as Fuel
Engineers have developed a futuristic machine that converts water into fuel. Through Power-to-Liquid Technology, they can convert water and carbon dioxide into liquid hydrocarbons which take the form of synthetic diesel, petrol, and kerosene. This technology was based on solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOECs) which converts electricity to steam. In 2017 they devised a technology that turns sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into fuel which can be a viable source of power, replacing coal, oil and other fossil fuels.
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- Face Transplants
A face transplant is a medical procedure that replaces a person’s face using the tissues of a dead person. In 2005 the first person to have partial face transplant while the first full face transplant happened in Spain in 2010. Face transplants have been popularly carried out in the United States, Spain, France, and Turkey. This is applicable for people with birth defects or disfigures caused by burns, disease, and trauma.
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- The above was a summary of science discoveries in the last twenty years. Going back another 50 years we have this list:
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- 2009 - For this year the biggest science discovery was water on the Moon. A lunar space probe crashed into the Moon and the analysis of the impact debris confirmed the existence of significant reserves of water on the Moon.
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- 2008 - Last year was the discover of water on Mars. The Phoenix Mars Lander on the polar region sampled water ice for the first time. In ancient times Mars may have supported life.
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- 2007
- 2006 - Meta materials made to specific wavelengths and dimensions cancel out reflection from an object creating a shield from detection, a cloak of invisibility.
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- 2005 - Huygens space craft landed on Titan a moon of Saturn. It found hydrocarbon rivers and an icy, tarry surface. Cassini spacecraft, the mother ship, observed water ice geysers erupting from another moon, Enceladus. Pluto lost its status among the eight planets in the Solar System. It became a dwarf planet to join other icy worlds residing in the Kuiper Belt. Soft tissues recovered from the fossilized bones of Tyrannosaurus Rex contained proteins similar to those found in chickens and ostriches.
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- 2004
- 2003 - The Poincare conjecture in mathematics is finally proven.
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- 2002
- 2001 - The human genome is decoded. The DNA traces could be found to genetic diseases and linkages to evolutionary biology.
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- 2000
- 1999
- 1998 - Astronomers studying distant supernovae explosions concluded the Universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. Dark Energy is the unknown force in the vacuum of space that is thought to be responsible. RNA molecules are found to influence genetic pathways and showed potential for curing a wide variety of illnesses ( AIDS, cancer, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s.) Human embryonic stem cells were isolated. These cells can potentially transform themselves into any tissue in the body. These cells were first isolated in human embryos but later in ordinary skin cells.
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- 1997 The Pathfinder space probe lands on the surface of Mars.
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- 1996 Molly the Sheep is the first cloned animal . Since then dogs, cats, mules, and monkeys have been cloned.
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- 1995 350 years ago Fermat’s Last Theorem was proposed. x^n + y^n = z^n works only if “n” is less than 3. ( a^2 + b^2 = c^2 , the Pythagorean theorem works). Astronomers detected the first exoplanets around 51 Pegasi. Since then over 400 exoplanets have been discovered.
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- 1994 - Comet Shoemaker - Levy 9 smashes into Jupiter. Quantum computing is used to crack cryptographic code.
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- 1993
- 1992
- 1991
- 1990
- 1989 Exxon Valdez spills oil in Alaska and the San Francisco Bay as an earthquake. The World Wide Web was invented.
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- 1988
- 1987 The stock market closes over 2,000. Later it crashes losing 508 points in one day.
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- 1986 - Space craft visits Halley’s comet. The first high temperature superconductor was developed.
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- 1985 - President Reagan calls for tax cuts.
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- 1984 - Polymerase Chain Reaction, PCR, was used to decode DNA for modern genetic research.
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- 1983 - The HIV virus was discovered as causing AIDS. DNA studies revealed how different species were interrelated.
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- 1982 - The first year that the Federal Budget exceeded $100 billion.
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- 1981 - Columbia completes the first space shuttle mission.
- 1980 - Smallpox is extinguished worldwide. cosmic impact is determined to be responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Astronomers proposed cosmic inflation as the theory as to why the Universe is isotropic, homogeneous, and geometrically flat.
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- 1979 - Astronomers discover that the Universe is geometrically flat.
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- 1978 - The first test tube baby was born after in-vitro fertilization. 30 years later we get “octomom.”
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- 1977 - Deep-sea life is discovered near hydrothermal vents along the Galapagos Rift. Voyager space craft launched resulting in Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune flybys.
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- 1976 - Mars Viking probe sends back pictures of the surface of Mars. Jennifer joined us.
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- 1975
- 1974 - Lucy, a 3.2 million old fossil is discovered in Ethiopia.
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- 1973 - Santa Clara University then living in Santa Rosa.
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- 1972 - The first CT scanner, x-ray computerized topography. MRI’s and PET’s followed, magnetic resonance and positron emission topography.
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- 1971
- 1970 - The first cancer causing gene was discovered.
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- 1969 - James Douglas Detrick IV joins us and the astronauts land on the Moon. The ARPA net became the first node for the Internet. The first artificial heart was implanted in a human.
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- 1968
- 1967 - The first human heart transplant preformed in South Africa. Pulsars are discovered.
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- 1966 The first super bowl game.
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- 1965 Congress approves Medicare.
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- 1964 Quarks are discovered as sub-atomic particles found inside protons and neutrons.
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- 1963 - Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty outlawing atmospheric tests.
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- 1962 - Rachel Carson’a book “ Silent Spring” launched the environmental movement. The first Quasar were discovered, Quasi-Stellar Radio Sources. I got my Tri-state diploma and draft notice the same week.
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- 1961 - Biochemistry cracked the DNA genetic code. Tectonic plate theory first explained the Earth’s continents. The Earth’s magnetic field was found to have periodically reversed in the past.
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- 1960 - The pill, oral contraceptive, was introduced. The first ruby laser was put into operation.
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- 1959 - Fidel Castro takes over Cuba. The U.S. launches the first ballistic missile from a submarine. The Van Allen Belts were discovered by the first U.S. satellite in 1958.
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- The Russians launched their first satellite in 1957. If you are this far you have seen what’s happened since then. Review Number 1112 for 50 years of discoveries.
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August 21, 2022 SCIENCE - what’s happened the last 70 years? 3657
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